Fetal O2 consumption in sheep during controlled long-term reductions in umbilical blood flow

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Abstract
Electromagnetic flow sensors and inflatable occluders were placed on the distal aortas of nine fetal lambs of 111-124 days gestation; indwelling vascular catheters were placed in a lower body artery and vein and the common umbilical vein. After a control period of 7.6 .+-. 2.1 (SD) days, distal aortic flow was reduced to about 60% of control flow; placental flow fractions of distal aortic flow were 77 .+-. 5%, control; 69 .+-. 11% during flow reduction. Duration of the flow reductions was 9.6 .+-. 6.5 days. Fetal O2 consumption fell from 6.4 .+-. 1.5 to 5.3 .+-. 1.1 ml .cntdot. min-1 .cntdot. kg-1 (P < 0.02) as umbilical blood flow was reduced from 202 .+-. 47 to 116 .+-. 36 ml .cntdot. min-1 .cntdot. kg-1 (P < 0.001). Least-squares polynomial regression analysis showed that O2 consumption was a linear function of umbilical blood flow (P < 0.01). With regard to long-term fetal O2 consumption, there was no evidence for a margin of safety in fetal umbilical blood flow.

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